Taking Hixon in the fourth round of the 2006 Draft was a classic Mike Shanahan hubris move - the Akron Zip entered the draft with a broken foot which would end up costing him his rookie season.

Unfortunately, his most memorable moment as a Bronco came when he returned the second-half kickoff in the 2007 season opener at Buffalo (his NFL debut) and was tackled by Kevin Everett, who suffered a cervical injury that left him temporarily paralyzed.

Hixon has since become a two-time SB winner with the Giants, for whom he's been a solid #3 wideout and kick/punt returner.

Moore, an 11th-round pick in the 1991 Draft, attempted just 34 passes during his Broncos career - all during the 1992 season. His claim to Denver infamy was the Week 14 matchup against the Cowboys, and the Week 15 game at Buffalo, when Dan Reeves put into action the harebrained strategy of having Moore alternate series - and at times plays - with Tommy Maddox (the 20-year-old from UCLA who was supposed to take over John Elway, because of course he was).

Miller was a star for the Falcons, but a string of concussions forced him to retire at age 30. He came back in 1999 to back up Brian Griese and Bubby Brister, going 2-1 in three starts, but another concussion convinced Miller to again retire.

Karcher was the Broncos' scab QB in place of Elway during the 1987 player strike; Denver went 2-1 with Karcher starting. He is currently the OC/QB coach at Eastern Illinois, and went 21-46 while the head coach at Liberty from 2000-05.

Taken as a fourth-round pick in 1970 by Denver, Penrose was 3-1 in four starts over four seasons with the Broncos. During the team's first SB run of 1977, Penrose backed up Craig Morton, but had zero touchdown passes against four interceptions.

Like Pastrana, his career completion rate (47.0%) was actually higher than his QB rating (41.2).

Frerotte was the other quarterback drafted by Washington in 1994, when they took current U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler third overall.

In Gus We Trust threw three fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead Denver back from deficits of 34-17 and 37-24 in a 2000 38-37 win over the visiting Chargers. That performance (36/58 for 462 yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions) left a lasting impression on the Denver record books.

His 58 attempts are the second-most by a Bronco (Elway, 59 attempts, 1993 at Green Bay), his 462 yards stood as a team record for almost four years (Plummer, 499 yards, 2004 vs. Atlanta), and he remains tied with Elway (1984 vs. Minnesota) and Frank Tripucka (1962 vs. Buffalo) for the most touchdown passes in a single game in Broncos history.

Apropos to the Broncos' trip to Baltimore this week, Frerotte was the starting QB for the 21-3 playoff loss to the eventual SB Champion Ravens, on the final day of 2000.

Unfortunately for Frerotte, who exceeded any expectations typical of a seventh-round pick (93 starts), he will be best remembered for this moronic TD celebration (skip to 1:33 mark)

Charley was inducted to Denver's Ring of Fame in 1986 along with Frank Tripucka and Paul Smith, and is, in every sense, the greatest Bronco to ever have worn the number 12.

There you have it folks - the first and only jersey number countdown in IAOFM history. Admittedly, it was kind of fun to put together, so perhaps there will be more of these to come in the future, provided the world doesn't come to an end next Friday.

Update 5:40pm ET - Reeves had Moore and Maddox alternate at times both series and plays during two games - versus Dallas and at Buffalo. Story originally only mentioned swapping series in the Buffalo game.

Doug is IAOFM’s resident newsman and spelling czar. Follow him on Twitter @IAOFM

He did hurt himself - neck sprain or something - but did start the next game.

Posted by MakeCents02 on 2012-12-12 22:37:54

I was at the Dallas game it was a hoot.

Posted by codygras on 2012-12-12 22:09:47

At least next year we'll have 11/12/13.

Posted by schmendrick12 on 2012-12-12 20:33:43

We've become accustomed to this day=month=year ritual because it's happened the past 12 years, but this is the last of it in our lifetimes. Embrace your inner twelve.

Posted by iamafreeman on 2012-12-12 20:18:07

Didn't Gus give himself a concussion or at least injured his neck or something because of that head butt? I seem to remember he was actually out due to injury for either the rest of that game, or for a game or two after. Something like that anyway.

Posted by Rollston Frangopoulos on 2012-12-12 19:16:03

Charley Johnson may be my favorite Bronco ever - he led them to respectability for the first time.

Was Penrose the #3 QB in 1977? Norris Weese was the main backup to Morton.

Posted by billyricky on 2012-12-12 19:14:41

It should be noted Reeves was fired after the 1992 season. Making the Broncos a laughingstock with his harebrained quarterback rotation scheme might have been the last straw for Bowlen.

Posted by Steven Searls on 2012-12-12 17:52:02

Thanks for this - checking back, it was a two-game experiment that at times had them alternating series, and at others, plays.

Posted by Douglas Lee on 2012-12-12 17:41:18

It was actually worse than alternating Moore and Maddox on alternating series. Reeves alternated them on every play. I still remember watching that game. He would give one of them the play to run from the sideline while the other was on the field.

Posted by AldenBrown on 2012-12-12 16:53:21

A sad litany, except for Charley Johnson. I was delighted when he came to Denver, and he taught the lowly Broncos how to win.Johnson, among other things, picked up a Masters and PhD in Chemical Engineering at Washington University while a QB for the St. Louis Cardinals, and, after his football career ended, was a professor at New Mexico State (where he played his college ball). He retired earlier this year.